


of lilac and gooseberries

by raveness_ov



Series: of lilac and gooseberries [1]
Category: Wiedźmin | The Witcher (Video Game), Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types, Wiedźmin | The Witcher Series - Andrzej Sapkowski
Genre: F/M, Fanfiction, Fluff and Smut, Humor, Mild Gore, Smut
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-23
Updated: 2019-08-11
Packaged: 2019-10-14 22:58:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,404
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17517425
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/raveness_ov/pseuds/raveness_ov
Summary: ”Yen?” He asked”Hm?” she answered, slowly entering one leg out so that she could at least touch his side or thigh.”What would you say if I asked you to come away with me… during my travels?” the witcher asked carefully, almost regretting his words once they came out.“Oh, Geralt you know how I feel about traveling, especially on the road. And on horseback no less. I would much rather be in a carriage with four horses instead of one.”





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: I didn’t expect Geralt's "Wolf in Sheep's Clothing" story told in this chapter to go on for that long, but it makes up most of this chapter so it works. Also, I had changed the name of my previous work to "a raven's storm" since I felt ”of lilac and gooseberries” would fit this piece better.

It had been near midnight when the witcher entered the vengerbergeren home, it was late so he had expected his lover to either be asleep or gone. It was the former. The sorceress had been curled into the bed, a leg was draped over the other as she had been nestling her face into the blanket. The man stopped and admired for a long moment before deciding to undress and join her.  
  
He had found his way around her room through the moonlight, why she had slept with her window curtains open was beyond him. Both his swords went on a bench and his armor placed in a chair that belonged to a vanity. While Yennefer had a habit of sleeping naked, he did not. Most witchers, at least those whose grew up as he did, kept their underpants on most of the time. It was just how it was for him.  
  
Before he could make his way over to the bed he heard the blanket rustle against the sheet and in a flash, the candle on the desk lit up. Yennefer had awoken.  
  
“Mmm Geralt? Is that you? I was beginning to think you’d left and weren’t planning on returning.”  
  
“No not that, the contract I had taken was a little difficult.” He murmured, trying not to wake her any further yet failed.  
  
The sorceress had sat up, bringing her knees and the blanket to her chest, offering him to sit in front of her.  
  
“Tell me about it then, I’m completely awake now.” She said softly, laying her head atop her knees, closing her eyes yet listening to him nonetheless.  
  
”Well, the contract was something I thought would be menial.” he started as he sat down on the corner of the bed, recalling the quest. ”A shepherd was complaining that his sheep were going missing. I had asked if there had been any wolves in the area and he claimed that a fortnight or so prior he had killed a she-wolf who had been stalking the sheep’s fence. That's when the sheep started disappearing.”  
  
”So I studied the area. And found prints near the fence, they had been a little old so I assumed it to have been the she-wolf. I counted the sheep and there had been twenty-eight who remained out of the thirty-eight. I spent a few nights there, and waiting to hear or see something unusual.”  
  
”There was nothing at first. Of course, sheep were going missing, but I could figure out how. Then on the fourth day, the shepherd had taken his sheep out for a walk. I decided to stay behind and carefully examine where the animals would eat, sleep, and-”  
  
”And shit?” The woman said with a smirk.  
  
”Yes. And shit.” Gerald mimicked her expression and continued on with his story. ”On the farm, there was an area where the sheep would love sleep, you could tell just by the lack of grass that had grown or rather failed to grow there. Anyways near the spot, there was a large hole covered by said grass, it was disguised to match the ground around it. Something I missed during my first look through it.”  
  
”When the shepherd returned I had informed him of it and asked if he knew of what was there. He denied any knowledge of the hole and asked what it had meant. I didn't really know much because of his arrival so I asked him to take his sheep away again the day, possibly longer if he could. He agreed. We had lost another sheep that night too.”  
  
”The shepherd had been up first thing in the morning and left soon after. When he left I was able to explore the spot again, it turned out that it wasn't just a hole but tunnel. I went in and started walking, the place smelled like a hundred sheep had all been through there, it was horrible. I think that was the only time I ever wanted to cover my nose.”  
  
”Anyways, a mile or so in and I begin to hear something and it grew louder the more I walked. At first, I thought someone was calling out to me in the darkness but once I had gotten closer I realized it had come from a litter of wolf pups rather than a person.”  
  
”What did you do?” Yen asked as she opened her eyes slightly, not wanting to look as though she had been too invested in his story even though she was listening very closely.  
  
”Nothing at first. They were pups. Harmless. But that wasn't what caught my eye, nor was their last meal. It was how they looked. You know how typical wolf pups are supposed to look right? Fluffy and small. But these had been different. You could tell they were only a week or so old by the way they would stumble around. Yet their limbs were longer than usual, and their maws were almost flat. It was the first time I'd had seen anything like it.”  
  
”Could the she-wolf have mated with a werewolf perhaps?” Yen hypothesized.  
  
”Yeah, exactly. Apparently, the shepherd had killed his mate and out of revenge and to feed his pups, the werewolf had killed a sheep to walk among the herd and brought home a new sheep each night... I think the shepherd was drunk or an idiot or both because he didn't notice a thing.”  
  
”Pft, neither did you witcher,” She giggled.  
  
”In my defense, the werewolf had disguised his tracks well and I didn't really think to look at the sheep. There were twenty-eight of them after all.”  
  
”So did you have two have a showdown? I wonder who won.” she teased. ”Go on, I want to hear what happened next.”  
  
”Well, when nightfall came I searched and found the wolf just as he pushed another sheep into the tunnel, which broke all of its legs on the fall down. We talked…”  
  
”Talked? As in you two swapped recipes and did each other's hair?”  
  
”More like I threatened to kill him if he didn't leave the shepherd and his flock alone.”  
  
”I assume he took it well then.”  
  
”Yeah, and in the process, he gave me a parting gift, a big one.”  
  
”Where? Let me see.” her voice had switched from that of playful one to a more serious tone.  
  
Gerald sighed, he knew he couldn't have avoided this, but it was better she learned now rather than in the morning when she found blood soaking her sheets. The witcher turned slowly, moving his whole body rather than his torso. He was afraid that if he turned the wrong way Yennefer would really have a reason to be angered with him.  
  
Upon seeing the scars she had gasped. The scars were six in number, three if not for the break that had separated them. She had scrambled forward, letting the blanket fall behind her, stripping her of her of her only cover. She didn’t ask a silly question like if it had hurt him or why it had taken him this long to mention this to her.  
  
“Dammit, Geralt…”  
  
Instead, she had touched the inflamed parts of the skin, making sure her fingers didn’t slip into his wound, which would most likely hurt him more. The stitches had come out ages ago, probably while he was riding Roach on his way to Vengerberg. She just examined, which she had taken her time in doing so, somewhat to see how badly he had been injured but mostly to annoy Geralt.  
  
“Lie down will you?” It was more of a command rather than a question. And if the witcher had given any complaints he didn’t speak them aloud, so he did as was told and laid himself out on the bed “Hmm, I suppose now it’s time I told a story of my own. When we had gone to the Temple of Melitele do you remember? We had spent a few weeks there when you were recovering from yet another wound and during that time I had asked mother Nenneke if she would teach me healing magic.”  
  
The man hummed in amusement, but for the most part, kept quiet. The Sorceress continued.  
  
“And of course, she had laughed at first as you did just now. The old b- ” She sighed, not wanting to get into her distaste for the old priestess. “But after some explaining, I managed to convince her. By the time we had left, I was somewhat versed with a few spells, in case anything had happened to you while we were traveling. The rest I learned from Triss during my stay in Kovir. ”  
  
“Hm…”  
  
“What witcher?” Yennefer had asked, as she fumbled to the drawer to the left of her, looking for a medical box, containing needles and thread, along with other things she would most likely need. Once she had found it she placed it in front of her and took out a needle, then used a bit of magic to sterilize the whole thing. It was her first time doing such a thing on her own, no Nenneke or Triss to guide her through the steps.     
  
“I expected a little more,”  
  
“Oh?”  
  
“Well, my story had some mystery, romance, a little bit of action.”  
  
“The mystery in my story was if Mother Nenneke would teach me healing magic, the action happened before the story had begun, and the romance is happening right now. Even though it doesn’t really seem like it. And in my stories, there is always a surprise ending. ”  
  
The witcher tried turning his head, he wanted to show her his look of doubt, but Yennefer just shoved his face into the blanket.

“Don’t move Geralt, I’m about to start and I’d like it if you'd stay still.” She warned. Once she had placed the thread in the needle, the sorceress debated whether she could handle the skin on skin contact or if she would rather use her magic and spare herself the gory scene. She decided to trust her magic and should he start to bleed she would stop it from spreading by wiping away. "Just occupy your mind for a bit, I need to focus."

 

* * *

 

An hour had passed before she could take a steady breath. Geralt's back had been badly reddened, his wounds stitched but Yen couldn't tell if she had done a well or not. It was the first time she had ever attempted this and with the witcher around it was probably not her last. A sigh had released from her lips as she sat back just now realizing herself. She had never managed to cover up, the whole procedure was done in the nude. She laughed and brought her dark hair forward on each side, hoping to at least cover her breast. 

"I believe I'm the first nudist doctor Geralt, I believe Nenneke would have been impressed." She had flashed a proud smile as she began cleaning and putting her things back where they were. Even though she didn't get a single drop of blood on her hands she had found they felt dirty, she would have to wash them, maybe even take another bath. She didn't like her body feeling like this. "Geralt how are you feeling? Did it hurt? Are you sore?" The sorceress chuckled, but the witcher didn't answer, didn't move. When Yennefer had seen this blood began rushing to her ears. 

_Is he dead? Did I kill him? Where will I hide the body? Oh fuck, please, PLEASE, be asleep._

"Geralt?" She brought her hand to rib and quickly tapped him. "Geralt!" She had called him a little more urgently yet still not answer. "GERALT!"

An ungrateful groan came from the bed followed by a sigh of relief. Her heartbeat returned to normal and she relaxed once more. The bath would have to wait for when she was more awake, believing the witcher may have died on her was more than her old heart could take. Her body would have to settle for her hands being washed. Without waking the witcher, she had gotten up and made her way to a dresser that contained a large bowl on top of it. Next to it had been a tall bronze cup containing water which she poured into the bowl. She had slipped her hands in and them soak in the water for a few moments before they washed each other. Her body had felt considerably cleaner the moment she had taken them out.

She had returned to her bed soon after, cutting off the flame of the candle that was now partially melted. Geralt, although asleep, had managed to save her the trouble of moving him over. As she had slipped in the feet and legs were met with a comforting warmth where the witcher had just been. She hummed, burying herself deeper into the blankets until she was fully covered.  

”Yen?” The raspy voice spoke from the pillow once she had settled in.   
  
”Hm?” she answered, slowly entering one leg out so that she could at least touch his side or thigh.  
  
”What would you say if I asked you to come away with me… during my travels?” the witcher asked carefully, almost regretting his words once they came out.  
  
“Oh, Geralt you know how I feel about traveling, especially on the road. And on horseback no less. I would much rather be in a carriage with four horses instead of one.”  
  
“Yen, it's not that bad. Besides I would really enjoy the company.”  
  
”I’d really have to think about it Geralt. Truly. I mean I’d have to close my shop and take out some funds for the road, not to mention you need to heal properly...” Her voice had trailed off as her eyes had met with his, she grimaced as she didn't have the courage to tell him a simple word. “Oh, Geralt, I _will_ think about it tomorrow.”  
  
“And what if I brought some juice with me? Would that speed up your thoughts?”  
  
“Juice?” a smirk formed on her previously glum face. “What kind of juice?” She asked slowly, playing with each word carefully. Geralt had moved closer and if the blanket hadn't between them their bare skins would be touching. He didn't answer but she had known what he was going to say because he thought of it. She had lifted herself toward him and kissed him, she practically melted. After a few moments, she moved on, kissing his jaw, neck, collarbone, and finally his chest. 

Her lips had left red marks on each scar, while her hand had slid slowly down the Witcher’s side. They had done this more times than she could remember, yet each time her heart felt as though it would burst from excitement. Underneath her fingers, she could feel Geralt's heart pick up, almost matching her own. He had called out her name, twice, this had been her invitation to keep going and she really wanted to.

Yennefer stopped her advances once she realized she was going a bit too far, he was injured and they both needed rest. Instead of continuing, she had let her fingers trace over an old scar on his chest. Her eyes had met his once again, and she greeted him to a soft smile. She had realized then that she couldn't spend her weeks without him, she would miss his kisses and his compliments that he would give that had been sweet and awkward. "Okay, I'll go with you. But you need to recover and I need to sleep." Geralt, with a smile on his face, had kissed her once more as he held back a painful groan. The two lay in an agreed silence then slowly fell asleep next to each other. 


	2. Chapter 2

It had been eight days since Yennefer had accepted Geralt’s proposal, his scars had recovered faster than the sorceress would have liked but as promised, she had gotten all of their affairs in order. Food, money, and anything else she believed they would need she had gotten it. Then there was the matter of protecting her home and everything in it, in order to ensure no one would get in she had placed a barrier around it. Such things as mail that she would receive would be the only thing to go into the home and nothing more.

Once they were set they waited for the morning the next day and then left Vengerberg on horseback. Yennefer had ridden on a black mare, strapped on it’s behind was a saddlebag that contained two sets of her clothes, a second pair of shoes, a carefully sealed jar containing her perfume, and a few other miscellaneous items she believed she would need for the journey. Geralt had been on a white horse speckled with black spots and had claimed her name was to be _Roach_. In his saddlebags, had been the food, a leather bag of fresh water, and potions for him that were set aside for later.

* * *

The first day away from her home, Yennefer had woken up with a dull pain in her neck and shoulder blades. She didn't complain, she figured if they rode fast enough they would make it to the next town and she would be greeted with a soft bed. This had encouraged her to follow Geralt's example, riding with a straight back and some light chats here and there. This had only lasted a few hours before she had grown weary of riding and talking, this had prompted her to catch the witcher's attention and let him subtly know how she felt. She would sigh loudly, fidget in her saddle and even stare at him when she thought he couldn’t see her. He had caught on eventually and suggested that they make camp for the night to which she eagerly agreed to.

The second day it was much worse. The pain to her body wasn't as bad as the day before but her hair had been uncontrollable, and despite the small charms she was sure she used the night before to keep her hair calmed, it would always end up curled beyond her liking. To get her mind off of it she had cuddled Geralt, who was just stirring from his dreams. He didn't protest but rather had encouraged her kisses, the slow creep of fingers as they spread across his body, and her legs wrapping around his waist.

Moments later he would return her actions with moves of his own, his hands explored her body and managed to entice a deep, arousing sigh from her. She was suddenly on top of him, her hair had draped past him as she leaned down to kiss him. Geralt had moved his body closer to hers without any hesitation, locking his mouth with against her own.

The two had stopped long after the morning when the sun was high above them and they had been more awake. Once they were fully dressed they had emerged from the tent, both had stolen more than their share of long glances to one another before packing up and leaving.

"Geralt," Yennefer had spoken slowly, once they had started riding. "When are we reaching the nearest town?"

"Well, if we don't get distracted tomorrow we should be in Vergen by the afternoon."

"So we're spending another night out here?"

"Seems like, why? Are you missing city life already?" he teased though she wouldn't give him the satisfaction of knowing he was right.

"No, I'm just curious to know how soon I can get rid of you."

"You can't get rid of witchers that easily Yen,"

"Like fleas or bedbugs?"

"Exac- no not like fleas or bedbugs, more like feral cats."

"Explains the eyes I suppose, and how you always seem to land on your feet."

They had continued to tease each other and exchange words until they had set up camp once night had come again. Yennefer had kept her hands and body to herself, she didn't want to go to town any later than the afternoon, because as Geralt had said she had missed the city, mostly a bed that didn't lie on the floor.

The next morning had come and gone, and soon enough that had reached their destination. Vergen wasn't a large city, nor was it small. There were more people than she thought there should have been, but she figured that's how almost every place had been. The first inn they had seen was the first place Yen had picked for their stay in the city. Once they had gotten a room, Geralt had told her that he would be out looking for contracts, she didn't argue with him. She had wanted to spend that time alone, either bathing or asleep, both which she needed badly.

* * *

Yennefer had practically scrubbed and rinsed every inch of herself until she was sure she had been cleaned of any filth from her days out camping. The migraine that was once pounding was nothing more than a fading thrum against the back of her temple. She had stayed in the bath longer than she had intentionally planned, and when the water would get cold she had used her magic to reheat it back to a comfortable temperature.

An hour in the tub had gone before she would get out and dry herself off. She had used her towel to hold up her hair as she had put on the black bustier she had been wearing the past few days and a pair of her panties that had been in the saddlebags. As she let the towel soak up any water that was left, she had decided to look over a book she packed along with her perfume. An incomplete guide to monsters, a token she had gotten from Nenneke after she received medical advice from her.

Another hour had passed before Geralt had walked through the door, carrying a few pieces of paper to which he had claimed were promising contracts. Yen had held out her hand, a signal that she wanted to examine each one and determine the same as he had. She didn't read what the request had been for so much as look to how much had been put down as a price. Ten orens to kill a nest full of drowners, thirty to get rid of necrophages that had managed to dig up graves that were set recently and that last had been fifty for several giant spiders that had infested a farmers field practically overnight.

“Is this how much you get paid for a contract like this?” She asked, looking directly at the crooked writing of fifty orens as the reward.

“Yeah why?” the witcher looked at her,

“Geralt, arachnomorphs can be dangerous. Even to witchers. I heard rumors their venom could break down muscles and even bones. Your mutations may help with the muscles but not your bones.”

The witcher sighed, he knew she was right, as a boy who had still been training in the mountains he had heard tales of what Yen had described. "Most of the time the people who put up these contracts can't really pay, as long as they don't cheat me, I'm mostly fine with whatever I get."

"My funds aren't going to last forever, especially if we're going to be going from town to town like this. Besides, if you get hurt I'm going to have to be the one to heal you and I don't know enough to stop your bones from collapsing in on themselves." Annoyance had filled her voice for a moment as she turned to face him and placed a hand on her hip. She glared at him for a second before sighing and closing her eyes to think. "That settles it, I'm going with you." She had fastened the choker around her neck.

"W- What? Why?" He asked defensively, trying his best to keep his eyes from wandering any further than her lips. If he had looked at anything lower it had meant he would lose his place in the argument.

"Isn't it obvious, I want to make sure you're getting paid well for your services, and you need to learn the art of haggling."

“Yen it’s not that simple.”

“Oh? Well, we will have to see about that then won’t we?” She had gotten up, grabbing the dress that she had left on the bed and turned to the witcher. "Look away."

* * *

Geralt and Yennefer had entered the tavern, it reeked of booze, cheap food, and she was sure that from the floor above them that she could hear even more people who were just as loud as they were intoxicated. Her skin crawled uncomfortably as she looked to Geralt who was looking around the room for their client who had written in the contract that this is where he would be.

"Well? Is he here?" She asked impatiently, placing a hand on her hip and tried following his gaze around the room.

"Yeah. He's the man sitting in that corner table."

"Let's introduce ourselves then, shall we?"

Yennefer had walked ahead of the witcher, taking the seat in front of the man, who looked even worse than most in the establishment. He was drunk, even to Yennefer’s untrained eye she could see it, and under his eyes had been dark circles under his closed eyes, as if it had been days since he had last slept.

“You’re the one who put up the notice, are you not?” The sorceress asked, unsure if he would remember in his inebriated state. The man looked up at her, opening his eyes for a moment before they closed again.

“Mm notice? What notice?”

“The one about giant spiders taking over your land.” Geralt had replied, adopting Yennefer’s tone of restlessness.

“Spiders? Oh yeah!” The man had sat up, appearing much more aware. “The damn things ‘ave been killing my sheep and makin’ a mess of my crops. You’re a witcher aren’t ye? Get rid of ‘em I'm beggin’ ye.”

“About that..” Yennefer had crossed her legs and leaned forward. “Your contract says you’re only willing to pay fifty. You do realize these creatures are much more dangerous than the average nekker? Which I why I want you to raise it.”

The drunk had looked at the sorceress as if he was barely noticing her just now, he had taken in her appearance and determined whether he should take her seriously or not.

“I would advise that you take me _very_ seriously. I am not a person one should treat lightly. Now for the price, I believe you can raise it to a hundred.” Like others before him, she had read his mind, but rather than reading it as clearly as Geralt's had been it was more like listening to someone who was yelling underwater. Almost impossible to hear and even harder to understand what their words were. 

The client had nearly burst with laughter at her proposal. She, however, wasn’t, nor was the witcher beside her which allowed the situation to look even more serious to their client.

“Look, I’m wasting all my coin on a witcher, so either ya’ take it or I can find someone else.”

“Well, then I suppose you can find someone else because he will not be working for a price that is practically free.” Yennefer stood up and looked to Geralt who was already thinking to her about how he didn’t expect a man like him to pay _that_ much. “Come, enough of our time has been wasted.” Before the Witcher could give a response to her the man stood up.

“W-Wait! Wait!” The man said loud enough for the whole tavern to hear. Immediately he had sat back down, cradling his head in his hand. “I suppose I could spare that much. I just need those damn things gone.”

Yennefer had held back a smile, instead, she nodded in agreement to the offer. “It’s settled then. Where can we find you once it’s over?” she asked, knowing full well that some men liked to run out when it came time to collect payment.

“I ‘ave a room upstairs, if I'm not 'ere I'll most likely be in there." Their client had stood once again, and without excusing him, he had left the pair alone.

“Yen, you didn't have to do that.”

“Geralt please, The man had two hundred orens on him. Plenty to spare for a witcher. Trust me, I would never rob a man completely dry."  
  
The witcher didn't answer her, at least not out loud. In his head he had been thinking of the events again as they had unfolded, then looked at Yen. _She's kind of like a procurer but for men, well for me. And instead of sex, it's monster hunting. Maybe I should start calling her "Madam Yennefer', she'd probably hate that_. He had repressed a smile but not his words. "You know..."

"Geralt I am not a madam, just a lady." She had said a matter of factly.

"Are you sure? Madam Yen has a nice ring to it."

"Then what would that make you hm?"

"A witcher."

Yennefer had remained silent for a moment before looking over at him. "A witcher prostitute you mean, that would make you the first."

"Have to make a living somehow, tough times we live in."

"Oh, witcher." She had chuckled, "Let's hurry back to the inn, I have something I have to work on before you leave."

"Yes madam Yennefer," he replied, beamingly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you liked this week's chapter. Let me know if you enjoyed it or have any helpful advice for future posts. I would love and appreciate both.


	3. Chapter 3

“So, how long do think you’ll be?” Yennefer asked slowly as she had placed a few bottles of an orange liquid she didn’t know the name of or what its purpose to the witcher was. Geralt had slid the whetstone across his blade before looking up at her, only to be met by her violet eyes. The way she had said it was had sounded like she had been really interested with his contract, but he could tell that she did. _She wouldn’t have asked otherwise_ , he thought.  
  
“I don’t know, never fought arachnomorphs before. Could be a day, or two, maybe a week or month or-”  
  
“Yes, I get the idea. But I can’t stay here forever, so if you hunt them for longer than a year, don’t expect me to be here for you witcher.”  
  
“How long will you wait for me?” he asked, and even if she wasn’t looking at him, she could practically see the smile in his teasing tone.  
  
“Hm, I don’t know. Could be a day, or two, maybe a week or month.” she had mocked and a chuckle from the witcher had followed. Then the scraping from the tools had picked up again.  
  
“Well, you could give me something to look forward to, a kiss maybe.” Yennefer had closed the flap of the saddlebags and completely turned to face him as she leaned her backside against the table.  
  
“Come back safely and then we’ll see about that kiss.” She had smiled warmly and the two shared matching silent gazes for a moment or two before returning to what they had been doing.  
  
That morning Yennefer had awoken early just to step out onto the balcony just as the sun was making its ascent over the mountains, a light mist had spread across the town. The view had left the sorceress in so much awe that she hadn’t realized that the sleeping witcher had been but a few steps behind her. He had rubbed the sleep from his eyes as he had taken in the sight of the nude woman standing before him. _Beautiful_ , he thought, this brought a smile to the sorceress' face.

 

* * *

  
“Alright, I’ve packed you your potions, food, and drinks for the road.” Yennefer had gone over the things she had packed the before while also trying to see if she had forgotten anything. She hadn’t. But that still didn’t make her anxious mind any calmer. If she was being completely honest with herself she was very sure she packed everything Geralt would need while he was away, it was she who wasn’t entirely sure she wanted him to go for however long it would be. “And this…” She had placed her hands on his shoulders and had tried to lean up to his level as best she could. Geralt had understood what she was trying to do and bent down to meet her lips.  
  
“What was that for?” he said once their moment had ended.  
  
“Good luck of course.” It was partly true, she had wanted to wish him goodbye for his trip and also to enchant his body with a small with a small protection spell. One that she was sure would trigger a vibration from the medallion that hung around his neck. If it did Geralt had kept quiet about it, instead, he had flashed her a quick smile, assuring her that he would be fine. He had turned and hopped on his horse, then urged the animal forward with his hips.  
  
The witcher and his horse had road off into the distance for which the sorceress had only waited until he was out of his earshot before heading back towards the inn. As she had promised the witcher, she would stay the city for a few weeks, which meant she had plenty of things to do that would keep her from worrying about him, and she also needed to catch up on the restful sleep she missed out on while out on the road. The sun wouldn’t set for another few hours but that hardly bothered her. She would sleep anyways, with the taste of apple juice on her tongue.  
 

* * *

  
_“Mama, when is dad coming home?” The young girl asked as she looked up towards her mother who was washing away the blood from the hem of a shirt she had worn the day before. The woman was silent for a long time, almost as if she hadn’t heard her daughter’s question, but she had. She was young, so of course, she wanted to know._  
  
“He isn’t coming home Janka, now don’t ask me again.” The woman warned, but her voice had only piqued the girl’s curiosity.  
  
“But mama whe…” The girl didn’t get to finish her sentence, she was met with a harsh slap across her face. She fell back, landing awkwardly on the large lump that was her back.  
  
“I told you not to ask again!” The woman had seemed to grow in size as her face contorted into that of something horrid.  
  
The sorceress had awoken, desperately gasping for air that her lungs couldn’t hold on to. Her whole body shook with fear as beads of sweat had rolled off her temples towards her hairline. She had lain still for a few moments moving only her eyes, trying to remember where she was. The room of the inn she was currently staying in was empty, all except for her and their things. She had remembered the witcher had taken on a contract the day before and wasn’t expected to be home for a few more days. This made her feel a little relieved, she didn’t want him seeing her in this state, scared with an uncontrollable body that seemed to betray her each second.  
  
Once she had felt comfortable to move, she had sat up realizing that not only was she sweating but trembling as well. She hadn’t had such a dream since she had gone to study at Aretuza, where she was ashamed to have nightmares because her peers would laugh and make fun of her if she so much as stepped out of line. She had brought her knees close to her bare chest and buried her face against them. No matter how hard she had tried, her body still shook, she had a strong urge to cry, something she also hadn’t done since she had been younger.  
  
She had wished Geralt had been there, after all, maybe he could have consoled her, make to love to her, anything to stop her from feeling as she did now. Cold, alone, and vulnerable. A few moments had passed before she had mustered up the strength to move again, this time she had grabbed her nightgown that was rested on the chair by her desk. After a few more moments had passed her mind had felt calmed.

 

* * *

  
Four days had gone by before Yennefer was to see Geralt again, she had spent those past few days reading and re-reading a grimoire belonging to her to the mentor of her mentor. The spells within the book were ones she either knew by heart or could no longer practice. It took her mind off her nightmares, which were forgotten about almost as quickly as they had come.  
  
Of course, when thinking of how he would come back she had hoped he would be riding atop his speckled mare, the sun rising behind him behind him with a few new scratches and story to tell. However, when he appeared in the town it had been raining, and he lay unconscious on the back of a cart that was being steered by a farmer and his young son.  
  
It didn’t take long for word of the witcher’s arrival to reach her or for her to meet the two men and pay them to bring him to her room. Within a few hours, his cold skin had been warmed by blankets and cleaner clothes, to which he was thankful for. Then when he was well enough to speak he had explained what had happened to him while out hunting for the beasts.  
  
“So you weren’t hurt? Then how do you explain these.” She had motioned to the bruises that practically covered his chest. He answered her by showing her images of him of him killing monstrous spiders and when he was done had fallen into a carefully laid trap that had been woven by the now dead creatures. Yennefer had shaken her head and assisted him as he turned himself so that she could see if there had been any more lesions.  
  
He had groaned in discomfort as she rolled him on his side. Just like his chest, it was bruised but there hadn’t been any scarring. Her cold hands had traced the few bruises that were visible and in doing so had caused him to groan in pain. It made her jump before realizing that without any wounds, inside or out, there was no real reason for him to complain, especially if since he had done this for half a century.  
  
“Oh stop complaining, you’re not injured badly nor do I see any puncture wounds. And with your mutations, I expect your body to look fine in a few hours or by morning perhaps. Which will be enough time to find a new contract or two.”  
  
There was a silence between them, Yennefer, while supporting his profession, had hated the thought of him being hurt or even the thought that his absence was possibly the cause of her nightmares, to which she still had no true answer for. Her hand had slid across his back slowly as she thought to herself before speaking again.  
  
“Is it always like this? You get a job, get hurt, and then collect the coin?”  
  
“Not always. Sometimes I don’t get paid at all.”  
  
“Well, it’s a good thing you have me then.”  
  
“Depends, are you gonna take a small fee from what I earn?”  
  
“What? Why would I? I’m not the one risking my life fighting dangerous beasts. And I also have no need for your coin. With that being said you’ll also be in charge of our accommodations since you asked me to join you.”  
  
Geralt said nothing, he didn’t have to and it didn’t take Yennefer’s abilities to know what he was doing. He had been calculating how much it would be to spend a night or two in a hostel, to buy food and water, while still being able to have a few drinks when he would return from a job. He knew he would come up short for one thing or another.  
  
“I’ll take care of the food and drinks, that is until the funds I’ve brought with me is spent and then we’ll probably have to head to the closest town with a bank. You just worry about where we’ll be sleeping alright, alright witcher.”  
  
“You sure you want gourmet food? We witchers can make a damn good rabbit stew.”  
  
“Hm, next time we’re on the road you can make it for me since you’re so confident.”  
  
“So what’d you do while I was gone?”  
  
“Oh you know, sorceress things. Read a few grimoires, brewed some potions, ate a few children, the usual.” a smile had formed on her lips as she had seen the witcher’s brow perk up.  
  
“Careful whose kids you eat, or else they’ll put up a contract on you.”  
  
“I don’t think we’ll stay long enough for that.”  
  
She had stood up and changed into her freshly washed nightgown then joined him in the bed. That night, they did not make love as she had wanted. Instead, she laid her head against his chest as he wrapped an arm over her. The terrors of her dreams did not appear that night, as if the witcher’s presence had warded them off. The two slept soundly and when morning came neither had stirred from their dreams.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you liked this week's chapter. Let me know if you enjoyed it or have any helpful advice for future posts. I would love and appreciate both. Sorry for the delay on this chapter, I think I was too distracted last week to post. Also regarding the next post, it won't be for this story but rather a continuation of my other series (a raven's storm, & the wolven storm), it'll be from Ciri's POV. Afterward, I'll be dedicating most of my time to this series.


	4. Chapter 4

The coming weeks went by quickly after the two had left Vergen. They would settle practically anywhere, whether it was outside amongst the trees or behind a room they could call their own for a few days, it mattered little to the witcher, and was soon a trait that the sorceress had learned as well. From Vergen they have gone down the river which led to Hagge (as they avoided the elven guerillas who lived amongst the trees), then to Ellander (where they visited the priestess, Nenneke, after Geralt practically dragged her to the temple.

_“Yennefer you’ve done this all wrong…” Was the first thing Nenneke had announced after seeing the messily stitched up wounds from the witcher’s back. “if Geralt wasn’t a witcher he’d be sickly with fever and infection would have taken him by now. I’m sure his body has been stiff with pain before- it’s a good thing you were in your right mind to see me right away.” Nenneke started unstitching the sorceress’s workings within seconds._

_Yennefer didn’t answer at first, she didn’t want to incriminate herself any further by apologizing or replying with a sly remark that would surely anger the old woman. “The stitches are fine… besides the fact that they look a bit mangled.” she couldn’t help herself._

_“It’s because they’re a bit mangled that they need to be fixed. Look this is how to stitch up a wound properly.” As the old woman said that she had pinched the top of Yen’s arm, pulling her so that their shoulders were touching as a way to observe closely. The sorceress rubbed her arm as she silently cursed the hag. Although she hadn’t really minded it, remembering that as a young sorcerer in training, her mentor would do the same thing to her when her mind would wander._

_“Now watch carefully.” Nenneke had pierced through Geralt’s skin with a thick needle, and from there it was as if the needle and her hand were moving as one. Yet Yen paid very little attention to that, she instead was more interested in the witcher’s thoughts. He had been going through some discomfort, but nothing he couldn’t take and then his mind sparked with flashes of his thoughts became loud enough to distract her completely as her hand touched the small of his back. That was until the priestess had finished her suture and caught the sorceress’ wandering eye._

_Whack! Nenneke had slapped her hand with a plant that vaguely reminded her of a whip she had seen once. She had sucked in a sharp breath of air as her skin itched, soon it had turned a light pink and she rubbed it protectively as if she would be hit again. The sorceress would have started cursing the priestess if not for Geralt grumbling in pain. Where her hand had been several lash marks that quickly faded from sight. The two women exchanged a glance and with her eyes, Nenneke had told her to pay closer attention, and although Yen had been hesitant to hear anything that she would out spite to the priestess, she had agreed._

_And when the couple started packing their horses to leave, Nenneke had given Yennefer a cream with strict instructions on how to apply it to the witcher’s scars and how long she should wait before reapplying. She had wished the two farewell and safe travels then left soon after. While still in Ellander, Geralt had remarked on how, even though Nenneke and herself could be more or less alike, the two seemed to be like two friends or least tolerated each other's presence. Yennefer didn’t answer, because she too had noticed what the witcher had, and maybe was because she thought of her as she thought of her teacher, a mother-figure, or perhaps it was for Geralt’s sake that the two hardly butted heads._

Once they had left the temple, their lives had been turned into a routine soon after; once they were settled he would find a contract for the witcher then let him be, she would either be out finding new clients for Geralt or herself or focused on her magic. But some days, when the witcher would be away for longer than a few days, she would perch herself in front of the nearest window or balcony and would wait for an hour or two at the end of the day, waiting for him. She would never admit it to Geralt of course nor to herself that she had missed him, and if asked she would reply with something witty or would divert the conversation entirely.

One night, after waking from her dreams, she had found herself crossing the room of the inn that they had been currently occupying. The hardwood underneath her feet had felt warm compared to her crisp touch. It was a pleasant feeling, one that made her crave the witcher’s touch. Her skin was illuminated by the pale moonlight that had seeped in through the window as she walked towards the escritoire, which held her letters that had been sent to her over the weeks she had spent traveling. Some were from mages whom she considered close colleagues, others were of contracts she had decided weren’t worth the trouble for the witcher since they either paid too little or the risks seemed too high or too vague on what was asked for.

Those weren’t her main focus at the moment but rather a small silver coin that displayed a barren tree with even smaller flowers that were hovering over it. If she had flipped it over there would have been a man holding up his sword proudly as if in battle. The piece was given to her by a client, not as a gift but rather as proof that he had found elven ruins and would be paying top coin to have it all searched and recorded. She couldn’t turn down such a proposition, especially if there was a chance to find artifacts that would most likely be of use to her later on. Of course, she didn’t tell this to her client but rather that she would take under heavy consideration and would send a letter if she had decided to accept.

That had been two days ago, and Geralt was now lying down on the bed, muttering in his sleep as she watched over him to examine his features. The day had been well into the afternoon and although she had wanted to spend her time with him either out in the streets or curled up next to him, she had remembered what he looked like just hours before. Scratches had riddled his back and chest and although not visible like most humans, she could tell that he circles around his eyes from the lack of sleep. she thought he deserved the day to himself, resting. She was very content perched beside him as she herself had been between the threshold of her own unconsciousness for most of the morning until she decided to look over at the letter again.

“Yen what are you looking at?” From behind her had been the sound of rustling sheets and a soft creak of the wood that belonged to the bed.

“A contract,” she said as her eyes had stopped scanning the words that had been written down.

“For?” He sat up in bed, and once he was, he had pulled both his shoulders back and then forward, testing to see if they had been sore.

“Aren’t you supposed to be asleep?” she asked, not turning to face him.

“I’ve been asleep since last night, I think I’m fine.”

“Hm.” She didn’t argue with him at least not at first, she wanted to see if he was fit enough to move freely. She had soon heard the groan from the bed and then witcher’s deliberately loud footsteps.

“The contract what’s it for?”

“Archeological findings. This client came for me actually, said he needed a sorceress’s eye to go through some ruins.”

“How much is he offering?” In his thoughts, he was already starting to plan to accompany her.

“I suppose that’s what this meeting is about, are you sure you want to come? I don’t think you’ll like it.”

“How did… nevermind. Why do you think I won’t like it?”

“Because it has nothing to do with fighting monsters. But if you think it’s something you might find interesting then you’re welcome to come along with me. I actually wouldn’t mind the company.”

“I don’t know how, but I feel like you planned on me going from the beginning.”

Of course, it was, but she didn’t want to give him the satisfaction of being right. Yennefer raised her brows innocently, pretending as though she had no idea of what he had been talking about. She then urged him to take a bath and prepare for the meeting they would have in a few hours.

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The man they were to meet was large and pudgy, with cheeks that reminded her of another client who had been badly sunburnt and he had been dressed in bright-colored Toussaint-wear, but it mattered little in the hall where they had chosen to meet. Around them had been a couple of dozen men just like him either coming from an outing, preparing for one, or just on their way out. Although she couldn’t see it, she could tell Geralt had made a face, one that seemed to mimic her own idea of him. But she was in no place to judge, and if the two were quick about the whole affair they would only have to meet him once more before never to see him again.

”Lady Yennefer, I'm glad you've decided to accept my request, you have my utmost respect. You and your friend.”

Yennefer heard Geralt correcting him in his mind, she's more than a friend, which made her smile but nodded to the man nonetheless.

”Oh, Faustus, you flatter me. But we must discuss more about these ruins. I have some questions as does my partner.” She had looked over at Geralt before turning back to the man in front of her.

”Ask away dear,”

”How far have you gotten, are there any marks that you left so that we could find our way back out?”

”How far? Hrm, I can't say, but yes I explored it myself for an hour or so, although I don't think I got anywhere. Along the way, I did manage to stretch through various walls and pillars and rub colored soot into them. It should not be hard to find, especially with those eyes.” he motioned toward Geralt with his head.

”Have you noticed any monsters, there are a few who find ruins a great place to make their nests. To breed. There could also be traps did notice any?” The witcher spoke up.

”Monsters? No, not that I could I recall. The same could be said about traps. But again I don’t believe I had gotten very far, there were far too many ruins for one man.”

“And you think we could accomplish much more than you?” The anger in Geralt’s voice was subtle to only Faustus.

“Of course. A sorceress and a witcher, whoever heard of such a duo. And traveling partners no less, yes perhaps you two are better than I.”

“Yes, I believe we just might be.” Said the sorceress as she focused her violet hues on her client once their eyes met. “Faustus I would also like to discuss the matter of our payment.”

“Oh? Lady Yennefer I offered a hefty sum is there something wrong with the amount?”

“Well, you’ve named three unforeseen threats that were not mentioned in your original contract.”

“Now liste-”

“The area is completely unsecured terrain, one that could possibly be infested with monsters, along with possible traps, either one or both could cause serious harm to me or my partner. The risk is simply too great. And if word spreads about your lack of concern for others the simple folk might not help you, then you’d be left with thieves or murderers. I’m only looking out for you Faustus, please raise the reward.”

The silence with each second they stared each other grew, the only one who seemed to acknowledge the awkwardness had been Geralt, yet even that had been reserved to only his thoughts. From where he sat he knew very well who would win whatever business transaction that had been happening between them. But he didn’t dare speak his mind, not because he feared either of them but because he simply didn’t want to get in the middle of their disagreement.

Then the man had turned to him, only for a second, but in that second he had managed to catch a peek at the Witcher’s face. Yennefer had been thankful that around strangers, Geralt seemed to always look annoyed, at least to people who knew him very little. It had been enough to scare the poor man into settling for her terms.

“Alright Lady Yennefer, you’ve got yourself a deal.” He had reached into the sack that was at his side and pulled out a scroll which he soon unwrapped. “Here’s what I could map out, but I can tell the place is much larger and that other parts of it are buried below, those are the parts I want you to find.”

“It may take a few days, but I’m very sure we won’t return empty-handed. I’ll be sure to record everything I find.”

“Yes, be very thorough, my colleagues will surely be overjoyed in these findings.”

“I sure hope they do.” Her eyes took a quick glance at the witcher, to her he had looked rather bored more than anything. “It’s time for us to go, we’ll send word to you once we return.”

Yennefer nudged Geralt to stand as she and her client exchanged their goodbyes then left for their inn.

“Yen, why’d you get him to raise the price, it seemed like a bit much, don’t you think?”

“Geralt the art of haggling is just that, an art. I knew I could and so I did. It’s also the reason why I brought you along. Faustus isn’t big on confrontation, more precisely he’s afraid of men of your stature. Tall, broad, kills with the eyes.”

He grunted a slight smirk had managed to crawl on his face as they walked to their temporary home. They would spend the rest of the day getting their things together. For Yennefer, she had gotten things like food, herbs, and other things she knew she would need to record her findings. And the Witcher had sharpened his weapons, packed their saddlebags, and prepared a potion or two that would later allow him to see in dark places while the other had fast-tracked his regenerating abilities.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry for the wait, this chapter took a long time to write I had lost my muse for a while. Hope to bring my regularly scheduled postings. As always, I hope you liked this week's chapter. Let me know if you enjoyed it or have any helpful advice for future posts. I would love and appreciate both.
> 
> Edit: I might make the next chapter shorter than usual, but I won't truly know how long it'll be until it's written.


End file.
